Square



Nov. 10, 1931. P. c. TROTTER 1,831,693

SQUAE E Filed Feb. 25. 1929 ATTORNEY the device.

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 PATsNroFFmE PRINCE O. TROTTER, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI saunas Application filed February 25, 1929. 'Serial No. 342,570.

This invention relates to a square for use in laying off stairs and rafters, the general object of the invention being to so arrange the parts that the device can be used on all standard stairs either of the open type or housed-in type.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the invention. Figure 2 is a top plan view. Figure 3 is a view of the corner of the device with the nose plate in lowered position.

Figure 4. is a section on line 4T of Figure 1.

t Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 1.

In these drawings, 1 indicates one limb of the square and 2 indicates the other limb, each limb being provided with a rightangular extension 3 at its free end and a nose 4 forms an extension of the limb 1 at the corner of The square is provided with the usual graduations 5 and each limb is r provided with a longitudinally extending slot 6. The extension 3 of limb 1 is formed with an elongated slot 7 and the other extension is formed with an eye 8. A plate 9 of the shape shown in Figure 1 has attached to its upper corner a nose plate 10, the nose 10 of which is of the same length and width as the nose 4 so that the nose 10 will cover the nose 4 whenthe plate 9 is in its upper position. The nose plate is provided with an elongatedslot 11 to receive a screw 12 carried by the limb 2 so 4 that the nose plate and the plate 9 are adjustably connected with the square. A bolt 13 is pivoted to the lower end of the plate'9 and a bolt 14 is pivoted to its small end, the bolt 13 passing throughthe eye 8 and the bolt 14 passing through the slot 7, each bolt having a pair of nuts 15 thereon, one on each side of the extension.

A. diagonally arranged bar 16 is adjustably mounted on the square, this bar being formed of two angle strips 17 having their ends fastened together and one strip being airranged on one sideof the square and the other on the opposite side thereof. One of' the strips is provided with a: long slot 18 and the short slot 19 through which the bolts 20 pass, these bolts also passing through the slots 6 in the square so that the bar 16 can be adjusted on the square. 4 A v From the foregoing it will be seen that by loosening the nuts on the bolts 13 and 14, the plate 9 can be adjusted in relation to the square and then by tightening the nuts on the bolts, the plate will be held in adjusted position. During the adjustment, the nose plate 10 slides on the screw 12. This adjust ment permits the nose plate 10 to beset in relation to the nose 4 according to the desired thickness of the nose of tread and it also permits the plate?) to'be adj usted toward and awayfromthe square. For open steps, the diagonal bar 16 is adjusted to the rise and tread of the steps by'placing the baron those marks of the scales 5 which are the known widths of the tread and rise. For instance, if the rise is nine inches in width andt-he tread fourteen inches, thatpart of the bar 16 which contacts the limb 2 would be placed on .the ninth mark of the scale on this limb and that part of the bar which contacts the limb 2 would be placedon the fourteenth mark of the scale on limb 1. The rise and tread are determined before attempting to "lay off the. steps. and

then the bar is set accordingly. The device is now placed upon the horse or stringer to be cut, with a portion of the bar 16 against the edge of the stringer. The board or stringer is then marked along the outside edges of the limbs 1 and 2 to indicate where the cuts are to be made for the riser and step of the stairs and the marker is also passed around the nose parts 4 and 10 to indicate the cut for the nose of the tread.

For housed-in steps, a line is. drawn 1 inches from the edge of the stringer to indicate the points of intersection of the lower parts of the risers with the rear edges of the treads and after the parts of the device are adjusted, it is placed on the stringer and the figures on the scales corresponding to the desired tread and rise widths are placed on this line. The stringer is marked by drawing a pencil or the like along the outer edges of the limbs 1 and 2 of the device and along the edges of the plate 9 which are adjacent the limbs of the square. These marks will give the lines of the cuts to be made, and as will be seen, the parts can be adjusted for any thickness of tread and after the cut for the tread has been made, there wi l be room for the wedges.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What Iclaim is 1. A device of the class described comprising a square having a nose at its corner, a plate. filling in the space formed by the limbs of the square and having a nose thereon cooperating with the nose of the square, means for slidably connecting the nose part of the plate with the corner of the square,

right angled eXtensions 0n the ends of the square, means for adiustably connecting the plate with the extensions, and a diagonally arranged bar adjustably connected with the square.

2. A device of the class described comprising a square provided with a nose at its corner and a rightangular extension at each of its free ends, one extension having an eye therein and the other having an elongated slot therein, aplate, a pair of bolts pivoted to the plate, one bolt passing through the eye and the other through the slot, a pair of nuts on each bolt for locking the bolt in adjusted position to the extension, a nose plate fastened to the inner corner of the first mentioned plate and having a nose thereon 00- operating with the nose of the square, said nose plate having an elongated slot therein, a screw carried by the square and passing through said slot, a diagonallyarranged bar os ess 

